Range and Habitat: Distributed throughout Mexico and the United States from southern Oregon and California through the south-western states to Texas. They occur in a variety of habitats including montane conifer forests, chaparrals, deserts, dry tropical habitats and rocky or cliff areas.
Though they are believed to be common in the Southern California foothills and canyons, ringtails are rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits and secretive nature.
Diet: Diet consists of small birds, small mammals (rats, mice, squirrels, cottontails), snakes, lizards, frogs and toads, insects, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and fruits of native plants.
Fun Facts: Ringtails are sometimes referred to as "ringtail cats" which is a misnomer because ringtails are not in the cat family. They were probably given this name by miners who used to keep ringtails in their small cabins to hunt mice. The ringtail is in the raccoon family, procyonidae.
